NEWS RELEASES

College Football's National Championship Coming to North Texas

ARLINGTON, April 24, 2013 — College football’s national championship is returning to North Texas for the first time in 37 years.

It was announced earlier today by the Conference Commissioners meeting in Pasadena, Calif., that the first National Championship game in the new four-team playoff will be played at Cowboys Stadium on Monday, January 12, 2015.

In the new College Football Playoff, the national semi-final games will be played on New Year’s Day, 2015, at the Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, and at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The two winning teams will advance to Arlington to play for the National Championship.

“We set out to land college football’s biggest game, and I’m thrilled to say that after nearly four decades, the National Championship game is coming back to North Texas,” said Tommy Bain, Chairman of the Stadium Events Organizing Committee. “Securing the first National Championship game as part of the new playoff system is a great honor, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of a dynamic combination of organizations, including the Cowboys Stadium staff, the Jones family and the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic.”

Eight times the National Championship has been won or lost in North Texas, all at the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, but not since January 2, 1978, when fifth-ranked Notre Dame surprised No. 1 Texas, 38-10. The Irish then vaulted to No. 1 in the final rankings.

“We couldn’t be more excited about bringing college football’s biggest game to Cowboys Stadium, said Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys. “It is an honor and a privilege to have been selected to host the first national championship as part of the new playoff structure. This is a major win for our region. When designing and building Cowboys Stadium, our goal was to create a grand stage for championship events just like this. Rest assured, we all pledge to do everything we can to make sure this game exceeds everyone’s highest expectations.”

In June, 2012, the AT&T Cotton Bowl, the Dallas Cowboys and Cowboys Stadium combined efforts to establish the Stadium Events Organizing Committee. The SEOC is a non-profit entity that will be responsible for supporting the Conference Commissioners and College Football Playoff staff in producing the National Championship game at Cowboys Stadium.